


the summer they met

by straygods (avatarstates)



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), F/F, Fluff, Magic, Modern Era, One-Sided Attraction, Pining, Secret Crush, Summer, Witches
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-15
Updated: 2018-11-15
Packaged: 2019-08-23 23:42:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,070
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16628750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/avatarstates/pseuds/straygods
Summary: "Sure. You can ask me anything.""Is it the shop's atmosphere or my presence that you like?"where Mai, a gloomy and introverted teenager with a penchant for the occult, meets a cheery girl whose smile is as warm as sunshine.





	the summer they met

If there's anything the weather could be doing wrong now, it's that it's too sunny. There is an absence of clouds in the blue sky, offering no shade from the relentless bright summer sunshine.  
  
The AC unit of Mai's room hasn't been completely set up yet so she has to leave some of the windows open. Not that it helps because there's barely a breeze in here and Mai's already sweating profusely from carrying boxes of her belongings upstairs; she wouldn't be surprised in the slightest bit if she faints.  
  
As she stretches her arms over her head, cringing slightly when there are tiny popping sounds from the base of her spine, she hears stomps approaching her room. Without looking back, she exhales loudly and says, "What is it, Tom-Tom?"  
  
Her little brother is standing by the door. He has his arms crossed and he doesn't seem pleased that Mai has claimed this room for hers. "But I wanted this room," he whines.  
  
Mai glances over her shoulder. "I was here first."  
  
"I'm gonna tell Mama," Tom-Tom states and turns on his heel. "I'm really gonna tell her!" he yells over his stomping on the way downstairs. Mai can only snort at his attempt to bring their mother into this.  
  
She returns to her task at hand. Punk music plays in the background as she opens one of the boxes. This one contains her books—well, the ones that survived the selection process. She had more, but most of them were either sold off at the garage sale or donated to the library prior to moving here. She's a huge fantasy nerd, as evidenced by the titles present in the box from Percy Jackson to The Lord of The Rings. Also, she has a penchant for the occult. There are a few books she keeps away from the prying eyes from her family so it'd been a hassle trying to hide them. Not that her parents would judge, since they were reasonably openminded folk, but in all honesty, anyone would be slightly concerned to find books on wiccan magic and satanism in Mai's possession.  
  
Unpacking is a slow process but by the time she's finished arranging her belongings in an orderly manner it's already the end of the afternoon. Time for a shower, she thinks as she wrinkles her nose at how sticky she feels and how damp her clothes are from her sweat.  
  
  
  
It takes a couple of days to get settled in her new home. Mai spends most of her waking hours with her nose buried in books and earphones plugged in. When she's not reading or listening to music, she decorates her new room in attempts to imitate the style of her previous one but somehow it doesn't feel the same and it only makes her homesick.  
  
Mai doesn't have a lot of friends back where she used to live so it wasn't a big deal for her when she left but she does somewhat miss are Kagami and Mina, who are her childhood friends. Even though they've now got their own circles and Mai's practically married to her books and her room, their friendship is still solid. Before she left, they threw her a little party for her and exchanged teary goodbyes. It was mildly uncomfortable because Mai isn't one to get emotional and it wasn't like they were all joined at the hip but it was nice of them to do this for her.  
  
"Mai, dear?" The voice of her mother tugs her back to the present. She looks up to find her mother looking round the door.  
  
Since Mai's sitting in a position that would bring about her mother's disapproval and nagging about her posture, she draws herself up quickly. "Yeah?" She tries not to slouch but the beanbag is too comfortable so she shifts her position.  
  
Her mother enters the room and sits on the edge of her bed. In many ways, Mai resembles her mother. They both have slim build, tall statures, long dark hair, hooded eyes and diamond-shaped faces. However, the similarities stop there as their personalities are different. Where Mai's perpetually disinterested in most things, her mother's cares about everything. It gets a bit annoying sometimes.  
  
"You've been cooped up in your room for the past few days, I've noticed," says her mother in a tone that indicates she's about to lecture Mai.  
  
Mai tries not to sigh but she does roll her eyes slightly when she moves to set her book down. "Is it safe for me to assume you're about to ask me to go out and make friends?" she ventures. Her voice is carries weariness; she's been dreading this question since they moved here. There goes the hope of never being asked about it.  
  
Her mother opens her mouth slightly then closes it. "Well, yes." She pauses, glancing about the room before her gaze lands on Mai. "You're a wonderful girl, honey. You truly are. I know it's a little hard because we're in a new place and all but I'm sure there are some people here around your age."  
  
"I guess so."  
  
"Maybe you could try taking your brother out this weekend and explore or something. Who knows what you'll find," Mai's mother adds as though that would persuade her daughter.  
  
Mai shrugs and leans back in her beanbag. Her back is feeling uncomfortable from holding up that super-straight posture and she can't be assed about her mother nagging her for it at this point. Anyway, it's not that she has anything against meeting new people. It's the building-a-relationship part that she finds exhausting because, at some point, it's either they give up because Mai isn't interesting enough for them or Mai doesn't find herself connecting with them at some level.  
  
"Alright then," Mai says so that her mother will get off her case. Her mother smiles but Mai only manages to lift the corners of her lips in the slightest.  
  
  
  
Someone pays Mai a visit in the morning of the weekend she promised her mother to take Tom-Tom out to town. Her parents are at work so it's only her and her brother at home, watching tv, when the doorbell rings.  
  
"That's the door," announces Tom-Tom, not tearing his eyes away from the tv screen, which is showing an epic fight scene between a bald kid with arrow tattoos and a grown man.  
  
"Oh, I thought it was the washing machine," Mai sighs. She ruffles her brother's hair as she gets up. A look through the peephole reveals a boy her age standing at the other side of the door. Mai can't help but frown; he's probably one of the neighborhood kids but Mai can't recall ever seeing him around. She's about to walk away and pretend she never saw him when he rings the doorbell again. He looks incredibly nervous like he's trying to work up the courage to ask someone outf. She wonders if he's gotten the wrong address.  
  
She opens the door. "Hello," she says, voice bearing no warmth.  
  
The boy flinches in surprise then manages a smile. "Hi there."  
  
Given his appearance, Mai estimates he's about her age—perhaps sixteen or seventeen years old. Shaggy dark hair falls over his forehead in a fringe and friendly gold eyes regard her. He still appears nervous, judging from the tightness in his shoulders and the way he's clutching a package in his hands. Mai decides he's harmless.  
  
"I'm Zuko," says the boy and points a thumb at a house behind him. "I live across you," he adds.  
  
"Mai," she responds curtly and leans against the doorjamb. She tries to remember once more if she's seen him around before but nothing comes up. Then again, it's not like she's paid attention to her surroundings when she walks Tom-Tom to the neighborhood playground. "Is there anything I can help you with?" she asks because it's starting to get awkward standing there and facing this awkward and nervous boy.  
  
"I-I saw you and your family moving in the other day but I never got the chance to say hello or anything." Zuko holds the package he's holding to Mai. "Anyway, I thought I'd, uh, drop by to say hello and give this cake to you."  
  
Mai's eyebrows arch slightly but she accepts his cake. "Thanks."  
  
Zuko's lips purse as he fidgets slightly. "I made it myself."  
  
"That's cute."  
  
Zuko's eyes widen slightly and Mai swears she saw his face redden ever so slightly. "Really? Oh, um, thank you. I wasn't sure if your family is allergic to anything or have any dietary restrictions but I hope you don't mind that it's gluten-free and vegan-friendly —"  
  
The sound of loud footsteps behind Mai cuts into his words. Tom-Tom appears in the foyer behind her, his expression turning from annoyance to a curiousity. "Who's that?" he asks, peering past Mai at Zuko. "Is that your boyfriend?"  
  
Mai shoots him an exasperated glare. "I barely even know him," she says indignantly while Zuko makes a choked noise. "I met him, like, literally a minute ago."  
  
"He is your boyfriend!" Tom-Tom gives a delightful squeal, much to his sister's dismay. He plods over to the door, takes a good look at Zuko then gives Mai a thumbs up before returning to the living room.  
  
Mai sighs and places a hand on her temple. "I swear he isn't always like this to every boy I meet."  
  
Zuko looks faintly greenish. "Younger siblings, huh?" he sympathizes but Mai doesn't hear him.  
  
"Anyway, I've got a pretty busy day ahead but thanks for coming by," she tells him.  
  
"Oh, I'll see you around —" The rest of Zuko's reply is cut off when the door shuts. "Bye Mai!" she hears him call through it. She sighs and shakes her head before looking at the fruitcake Zuko made. "Boys," she mutters as she places it on the kitchen counter.  
  
Later on, after nagging at her brother to shower and change out of his pajamas, Mai upholds her promise to her mother. She takes him to town in her mother's old Toyota. Tom-Tom is excited about the prospect of exploring the area but Mai isn't. She'd have no problem if she was told to go by herself but as Tom-Tom has the tendency to run off and disappear when he finds something interesting, she has to keep a constant eye on the little bugger.  
  
"Who was that guy earlier?" Tom-Tom asks, fiddling with the buttons on the stereo only to have his hands lightly smacked away by Mai.  
  
"Our neighbor, Zuko."  
  
"I think he's nice."  
  
"Only because he brought cake."  
  
"Yes," Tom-Tom replies, unabashed. "It's yummy too."  
  
As Mai isn't too familiar with the layout of the town, she parks her car in the parking lot of near the gas station that's close to a couple of shop buildings. Her brother is pressing his little hands and chubby face to the window, gray eyes gleaming with excitement.  
  
"Stop that. You'll make it dirty," Mai chides Tom-Tom, who blows a raspberry at her. Once they get out of the car, they walk hand-in-hand to the shops. The streets aren't too busy at this hour though there are people around Mai's age hanging out here and there.  
  
As they walk around the block, peering through the glass windows, Mai finds herself growing bored. Tom-Tom, on the other hand, thinks everything is exciting, from that chewing gum stuck to the sidewalk to the goods that are sold in the hat shop. In the end, Mai decides to wait outside while Tom-Tom rushes into a toy store to have a look; he'll be fine. She stands under the awning, her back against the wall and her arms crossed.  
  
A glance at her phone tells her she's only been here for fifteen minutes, though it's felt like hours since they arrived here. She doubts she'd enjoy the rest of their little excursion. Just as she considers going inside the toy store to see if Tom-Tom hasn't tried convincing the cashier to give him free stuff with his cuteness (it happened once but he didn't get away without paying for anything), Mai's eyes land on the sign of a quaint shop across the street.  
  
_Mystic Books and Occult Supplies._  
  
Mai's heart begins to race. Finally, something good in this boring town. She takes a step forward before stopping, then glances over her shoulder. Through the window, she sees Tom-Tom doing exactly what she suspected him to do: sweet-talking the staff for free toys. She looks back to the shop then at the toy store.  
  
Mai tells herself she won't be long and that Tom-Tom won't wander off.  
  
Best case scenario: he'd remain in the store to admire every toy and again until Mai called him out.  
  
Worst case scenario: he'd sulk in the bathroom because he couldn't get free toys and Mai would have to coax him out with the promise of ice-cream.  
  
Yeah, that should work, Mai thinks to herself. Her fingers twitch with excitement at the thought of browsing through occult books. "Stay right there, Tom-Tom," she says in the direction of the toy-store before crossing the street.  
  
A pleasant tinkling announces her arrival at Mystic Books. She peers around before entering. Her eyes glitter at the sight of the shelves that hold things like herbs and oils to thick volumes of books that have their titles printed in luxurious fonts. The store looks small from the outside yet somehow it doesn't feel that way inside. There's a faint scent of incense lingering in the air.  
  
Just as she's about to have a look at the crystals on display, she hears the sound of a toilet flushing. She looks up to the round mirror at the corner see someone, presumably an employee, coming over. Picking up the first crystal she sees, Mai pretends to examine it in hopes that she won’t be bothered by the employee. Alas, she hears a person speak in a cheery feminine voice. "Hello there! Are you looking for anything in particular?"  
  
Mai bites back the urge to sigh as she plasters on a polite but stiff smile on her lips. "I was just having a —" Her words lodge in her throat the very moment she sets her eyes on the girl who stands before her. At the ripe old age of sixteen, Mai can claim that she has never felt any sort of romantic or sexual attraction to anyone, which she thinks is fortunate because it spares her from unnecessary heartbreak and drama. Yet the gray-eyed girl who’s smiling at her is causing Mai to feel all warm and tingly on the inside.

 _Why are you like this now?_ she can only groan inwardly at herself.

Gray-eyes raises her eyebrows but maintains her smile. “Having a —?”

That’s when Mai realizes she hasn’t finished her sentence in her momentary speechlessness. Clearing her throat to regain her composure, she places the crystal back on the shelf. “I was just looking around.”

“I see.” Gray-eyes extends her arm—Mai stiffens, thinking Gray-eyes might tough her or something—when she adjusts the crystal on the display properly. The name tag pinned to her breast pocket reads Ty. Detachedly, Mai wonders if it’s a nickname. “Well, let me know if you want me to help you out with picking one of these.” Ty gestures at the shelf. “It’s really important to pick the right crystal, depending on your needs —“

Mai simply stares at her, strangely amazed at how knowledgeable Ty is—even though she technically should be to assist the customers better. Ty’s voice is bubbly yet soothing, and Mai was almost disappointed when Ty finishes her explanation and excuses herself.

In the end, Mai selects a pendant with a pale pink crystal; it’s not her color but it has a pretty hue to it and it makes her think of Ty. When she proceeds to the register where Ty is, the girl’s eyes light with amusement when she recognizes the stone. “Is there someone you like?” she asks teasingly.

Mai frowns.

“People who choose rose quartz crystals are usually either hoping to improve their chances of finding love or improving their relationships with their significant other.”

Mai makes some kind of noncommittal noise but looks away from Ty’s playful grin. Of course, how could she forget about the meaning of the crystal? After all, she has a book about crystals and a few tabs bookmarked on her laptop browser. Mai’s cheeks grow hot with embarrassment but her expression doesn’t change much. “I just thought it’s a nice color,” she manages.

Ty’s smile doesn’t waver but there’s a glitter in her eyes that causes Mai to suspect that she may have caught up to something. “It is,” she agrees as she prints out the receipt. “It’s one of my favorite crystals too,” she adds then hands Mai a small paper bag that contains her purchase. “Hopefully, it’ll bring you love," she says with a playful wink.

Before catching herself Mai releases a soft noise that suspiciously similar to a scoff. Her eyes widen slightly. “I mean, that’s nice but I’m not much of a romantic.”

Ty rests her elbows on the counter and cocks her head curiously. “Oh?”

Mai shrugs, looking away.

For some reason, Ty giggles; it’s cute how she does it by covering her mouth with her hand and how her eyes crinkle at the corners. It’s a gesture Mai finds pretentious but on Ty she thinks it’s endearing. “I hope I’ll see you again …” Ty looks at Mai with a question in her gaze.

“Mai.”

“Oh, that’s such a sweet name,” Ty opines and Mai blushes slightly at the comment. “Have a good day!”

The corners of Mai’s mouth lifts slightly but it’s unmistakably a warm, albeit small, smile.  It doesn’t leave her lips, not even when she finds a petulant Tom-Tom waiting for her outside the store. One look at her and her brother’s frown turns into bewilderment.

“You look funny,” he says, holding her fast by the arms. He narrows his eyes and looks her up and down. “Are you sure you’re my sister and not an alien?”

Mai sneers and brushes her brother’s hands away. “Why would I be an alien?”

Tom-Tom steps in her way again. “Because my sister doesn’t smile like that.”

“Oh, sod off, Tom-Tom. Let me smile when I want to.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> kudos and comments are always appreciated so feel free to leave some! i'll do my best to reply to everyone :)  
> thank you so much for reading and i hope you'll have a lovely day!
> 
> [[ twitter ]](https://twitter.com/azunshi)   
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